Saint Francis Xavier

1 7.6

A Spanish Catholic priest who helped bring Christianity to parts of Asia

proper noun

: San Francisco Javier

Saint Francis Xavier is remembered for his extensive missionary work in Asia.

Examples

Many schools and churches around the world are named after Saint Francis Xavier.
The feast day of Saint Francis Xavier is celebrated on December 3rd.
Many people admire Saint Francis Xavier for his missionary work.
Did Saint Francis Xavier really travel to Japan?
Saint Francis Xavier is remembered for his extensive missionary work in Asia.
Many schools and churches around the world are named after Saint Francis Xavier.
The feast day of Saint Francis Xavier is celebrated on December 3rd.

Surface Forms

Saint Francis Xavier main

Morphology

saint + Francis + Xavier

The component 'saint' transparently signals a holy or religious person, so a learner who knows that word will understand this is the name of a saint. However, the specific identity and biographical information (that he was a 16th‑century Spanish Jesuit missionary active in Asia) cannot be derived from the proper names 'Francis' and 'Xavier', so the full referential meaning is not predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Saint Francis Xavier was a Spanish Catholic priest who traveled to far parts of Asia in the 1500s, teaching and baptizing people. Because he traveled so far to start churches and schools, his name became a symbol of 'missionary' work and is used for many schools and churches today.